Overview

Greenbrook sits at the edge of a vast old-growth forest just south of the Bay of Dargrave, where a crystal-clear stream winds through groves of trees so ancient their canopies blot out the sky. The village appears modest at first glance: a scattering of moss-covered cottages, a stone bridge over the brook, and gardens that seem almost too lush to be real. That is because they are. Every flower blooms a little brighter here, every fruit hangs a little heavier on the branch, and the air carries a sweetness that visitors struggle to place.

The settlement owes its existence and its impossible vitality to Archdruid Elintra, a woman of quiet authority and deep patience who has guided Greenbrook for longer than anyone can remember. To the outside world she is simply a gifted human druid. In truth, she is a dryad of extraordinary power, bound not to a single tree but to the forest itself. Her magic saturates the soil, coaxing plants to grow larger, more vibrant, and more nourishing than anything found elsewhere on Xeres.

What most travelers never realize is that roughly a third of Greenbrook's population is fey. Satyrs tend the orchards, centaurs patrol the forest trails, fairies pollinate the gardens, and brownies keep the homes in quiet order. All of them walk beneath a glamour that Elintra maintains, appearing as ordinary humans to anyone she has not personally welcomed as a friend. The veil is not born of distrust but of survival. The world beyond the tree line is not always kind to creatures of the Feywild, and Elintra learned long ago that the safest disguise is the most boring one.

Trade is Greenbrook's lifeline to the wider world. Merchants from Bannon, Er'Amon, and Hedgewick make regular trips to purchase the village's legendary produce, which fetches premium prices at every market it reaches. A single Greenbrook melon can feed a family for two days. A bushel of their luminous berries will outlast ordinary fruit by a week. The villagers are happy to sell but careful never to explain exactly why their harvests are so remarkable.

Life in Greenbrook moves at the pace of the seasons. There are no walls, no standing army, and no written laws beyond a simple code: respect the forest, care for your neighbor, and never betray the veil. Those who break the last rule do not get a second chance. Elintra's justice is swift, quiet, and absolute.

Demographics and Layout

Population: 2,400

Racial Demographics:

• Human: 42%
• Elf (Sylvan and Wood): 18%
• Half-Elf: 8%
• Satyr (veiled): 10%
• Centaur (veiled): 7%
• Fairy (veiled): 5%
• Brownie (veiled): 6%
• Other (Gnome, Halfling, misc.): 4%

Layout:

Greenbrook has no formal districts. Instead, the village is organized around three natural landmarks that locals use as reference points.

• The Brookside: The central stretch along the stream where most homes, the market, and the village commons are found. Cottages here are built from local stone with living roofs of wildflowers and thick moss. The brook itself is shallow enough to wade across in most places, and flat stepping stones connect the two banks.
• The Canopy Ring: The dense tree line that encircles the village proper. Most of the fey population lives here, in homes woven from living branches or nestled into the roots of massive oaks. To outsiders, the Canopy Ring looks like impenetrable forest. To friends of Elintra, it reveals winding paths lit by bioluminescent fungi and firefly lanterns.
• The Sunfields: Open meadows to the north and east where the village's famous crops are grown. These fields catch the morning light off the Bay of Dargrave and benefit from the rich alluvial soil deposited by the brook. The produce here grows to extraordinary size, with pumpkins the width of wagon wheels and tomato plants that reach shoulder height.

Government

Greenbrook operates under a system best described as druidic stewardship. Archdruid Elintra holds final authority on all matters, though she exercises that authority with a light hand. Day-to-day decisions are handled by a rotating council of seven residents called the Root Table, named for the massive exposed root system of an ancient oak where they meet. Council members serve for one year and are chosen by Elintra based on a mix of competence, temperament, and willingness to serve.

The Root Table handles trade disputes, building permissions, harvest schedules, and the occasional disagreement between neighbors. Elintra attends meetings only when the matter involves the veil, the forest's health, or external threats. Her word in those cases is final and not subject to appeal.

There is no formal military. Defense falls to the centaur rangers who patrol the forest perimeter and a loose network of druids and fey who can rally the forest itself against intruders. The few times bandits or hostile creatures have tested Greenbrook's borders, the forest responded with disorienting fog, entangling roots, and swarms of stinging insects. Word has spread. Most threats give the village a wide berth.

Climate and Environment

Greenbrook enjoys a temperate climate moderated by the Bay of Dargrave to the south and the dense forest canopy to the north. Winters are mild, with snow rarely lasting more than a few days before Elintra's influence coaxes the ground warm again. Springs arrive early and linger, filling the village with weeks of continuous blooming. Summers are warm but never oppressive, as the canopy provides natural shade and the brook keeps the air cool. Autumn is the longest season, stretching well into what other regions consider early winter, allowing for extended harvests.

Rainfall is generous but never destructive. Elintra has a quiet arrangement with the local weather patterns, gently steering storms so they water the fields without flooding the brook. The result is a growing season that other farming communities would consider miraculous.

The surrounding forest is old-growth deciduous mixed with towering conifers, home to an ecosystem that has been carefully tended for generations. Bioluminescent fungi light the forest floor at night, and the air carries a faint floral sweetness year-round. The brook itself originates from a spring deep in the forest that has never been known to run dry.

Economy and Trade

Greenbrook's economy is built almost entirely on agriculture and the trade of its extraordinary produce. The village exports fruits, vegetables, herbs, and preserved goods to Bannon, Er'Amon, Hedgewick, and occasionally as far as Grafton and Stoneharbor. Greenbrook produce commands prices two to five times higher than equivalent goods from other regions, and demand consistently outstrips supply.

The village also trades in honey, beeswax, herbal remedies, and a small selection of handcrafted goods. Brownie-made textiles are particularly prized for their durability and fine stitching, though they are sold as "Greenbrook weave" to avoid uncomfortable questions about the makers.

Currency is used for external trade, but within the village most exchanges happen through barter or communal sharing. Elintra discourages hoarding and encourages generosity, and the culture reflects this. No one in Greenbrook goes hungry, and no home lacks for basic comforts.

The village maintains trade agreements with Bannon for metals and manufactured goods, with Er'Amon for spiritual texts and elven crafts, and with Hedgewick for leather and livestock products. A small merchant caravan departs Greenbrook twice per month, always accompanied by at least one centaur ranger in human guise.

Culture and Traditions

Greenbrook's culture is a quiet blend of human rural tradition and fey sensibility. Music is everywhere, from the satyr pipers who play in the orchards at dusk to the fairy choirs that sing the crops to sleep at harvest time (though outsiders hear only the wind). Storytelling is valued above written records, and the village's history lives in songs, dances, and the patterns woven into festival garlands.

• The Unveiling: When Elintra decides that a newcomer or visitor has earned the village's trust, she performs a brief ritual that lifts the veil from their eyes. The experience is described as overwhelming: the quiet human village suddenly reveals its true self, with fey neighbors dropping their glamours, the forest paths opening, and the full scope of Greenbrook's magic becoming visible. Those who have been unveiled are expected to guard the secret with their lives.
• The Rootfast: A midsummer festival where every household plants a new tree or shrub. The planting is accompanied by music, feasting, and a communal dance around the oldest oak in the village. Fey residents drop their veils for the night, and the celebration continues until dawn. Outsiders are never invited.
• The Quiet Tithe: Each harvest, the first and finest portion of every crop is returned to the forest floor as an offering. Villagers lay their gifts at the base of the great oaks along the Canopy Ring, and by morning the offerings have vanished. No one asks where they go.
• Naming Day: Children born in Greenbrook receive two names: a common name for the outside world and a true name whispered by Elintra in Sylvan. The true name is known only to the child, their parents, and the Archdruid. It is believed to tie the child to the land and grant them the forest's protection.

Religion and Spirituality

Greenbrook has no temples, no clergy, and no formal religious doctrine. Spirituality here is woven into daily life rather than confined to a building or a schedule. The villagers revere the natural world, the turning of the seasons, and the unseen forces that make the land fertile. Elintra serves as the closest thing to a spiritual leader, though she would reject the title.

The fey residents bring their own traditions, many of which have quietly merged with human customs over the generations. Offerings are left at crossroads for safe travel. Milk is set out on doorsteps for the brownies (even by those who know the brownies live next door). Songs are sung to the brook when the water runs low, and silence is observed in the forest after dark out of respect for the older things that dwell there.

Visitors who follow other faiths are welcome to practice quietly, but proselytizing is discouraged. The one religious boundary Elintra enforces without compromise is a prohibition on necromancy and any magic that corrupts or unnaturally binds living things. The forest does not tolerate such violations, and neither does she.

Law and Order

Greenbrook's legal system is simple and largely unwritten. The Root Table mediates disputes, Elintra adjudicates serious matters, and the community enforces norms through social pressure and shared expectation. Theft is rare because need is rare. Violence is almost unheard of because the fey take personal offense at disruptions to the peace, and no one wants to be on the wrong side of a centaur's temper.

The Three Laws:

• Respect the Forest: No tree is felled without permission from the Root Table. No animal is hunted within the Canopy Ring. No fire is lit carelessly. Violations result in community service tending the areas damaged.
• Care for Your Neighbor: Refusal to help a neighbor in genuine need is considered a serious social failing. Repeated selfishness can result in a formal censure from the Root Table, which carries real weight in a community this small.
• Never Betray the Veil: Revealing the true nature of Greenbrook's fey population to outsiders is the one unforgivable offense. Those who break this law are escorted to the village boundary by centaur rangers, their memories of the village's secrets gently removed by Elintra's magic, and they are never permitted to return.

For crimes committed by outsiders, such as merchants caught cheating or travelers causing damage, the punishment is typically banishment from trade with the village. Given the value of Greenbrook's goods, this is a devastating economic penalty that most offenders deeply regret.

Food and Drink

Culinary Customs:

• The Living Table: Greenbrook meals are served on broad leaves cut fresh from the garden moments before eating. The leaves are large enough to serve as plates and are composted after the meal. Pottery and wooden bowls exist for soups and stews, but solid food is always presented on a leaf. Visitors who ask for a proper plate are gently corrected.
• First Bite, Last Bite: Every meal begins with a single bite of raw fruit or vegetable, eaten in silence to honor the land that produced it. The last bite of every meal is set aside on the edge of the leaf, left for the brownies. Plates scraped clean are considered rude.
• The Tasting Walk: When a new crop variety is harvested for the first time, the grower carries samples through the village on a woven tray, offering a taste to everyone they pass. Feedback is given honestly but kindly. Crops that earn unanimous approval are added to the permanent rotation. This tradition means every resident has a voice in what the village grows.
• Moonlight Preserving: Jams, pickles, and dried goods are prepared only during the three nights surrounding the full moon of Verdante. Villagers believe the moonlight strengthens the preserving magic in the fruit, and whether or not that is literally true, Greenbrook preserves last remarkably longer than anyone else's.
• The Stranger's Bowl: A pot of stew or soup is kept simmering at the village commons at all times, available to anyone who is hungry. Contributing ingredients to the Stranger's Bowl is considered a quiet act of goodwill, and most households drop something in on their way past.

Signature Dishes:

• Goldenroot Braise: Thick slices of oversized goldenroot turnip, slow-cooked in a clay pot with wild garlic, forest mushrooms, and a splash of elderflower wine. The turnip caramelizes into a deep amber and develops a sweetness that rivals roasted parsnip. Served in its cooking vessel with a crust of herbed breadcrumbs baked on top.
• Canopy Stew: A hearty stew built from whatever the forest and garden offer that day, always featuring at least three varieties of mushroom, root vegetables, and fresh herbs. The broth is enriched with roasted acorn flour, giving it a nutty depth. Every household has their own version, and arguments about the best recipe are the closest thing Greenbrook has to political conflict.
• Fey Honey Cakes: Small, round cakes made with flour milled from Greenbrook grain and sweetened with wildflower honey from the village apiaries. The batter is folded with crushed shimmerberries, giving the finished cakes a faint iridescent sheen. They are dense, moist, and faintly floral, traditionally served at every celebration and left on doorsteps as gifts.
• Brook Trout Parcels: Fresh trout from the stream, wrapped in broad sorrel leaves with sliced starfruit radish and a smear of juniper butter, then baked over coals until the leaves char and the fish steams inside. The parcels are opened at the table, releasing a fragrant cloud of herbal steam.
• Sunfield Flatbread: A thick, chewy flatbread baked on hot stones at the edge of the cooking fire, topped with crushed giant tomatoes, soft goat cheese, torn basil leaves the size of a hand, and a drizzle of peppered oil. Simple, filling, and eaten at nearly every lunch in the village.
• Mossberry Fool: A layered dessert of whipped cream and crushed mossberries, served in a hollowed-out gourd. The berries stain the cream a vivid green, and the flavor is tart and bright with a lingering sweetness. Topped with a single candied violet.

Beverages:

• Elderbloom Cider: A sparkling cider pressed from Greenbrook apples and fermented with elderflower blossoms. Pale gold with a persistent fizz, it tastes of orchard fruit and spring rain. Mildly alcoholic and dangerously easy to drink.
• Brookwater Tonic: Fresh water drawn from the village stream, steeped overnight with sliced starfruit radish, crushed mint, and a curl of lemon peel. Served cold from clay pitchers. Non-alcoholic and refreshing, it is the default drink at every meal.
• Satyr's Warming: A spiced mead brewed by the satyr community using wildflower honey, cracked black pepper, dried ginger root, and a handful of toasted fennel seeds. Served hot in small wooden cups during cold months. It hits harder than it tastes.
• Dewdrop Tea: A delicate herbal infusion made from dried chamomile, lemon verbena, and the petals of moonpetal blossoms. The tea has a faintly luminous quality when brewed fresh, and is said to promote restful sleep. A staple of evening routines.
• Thistle Brew: A bitter, dark ale brewed from roasted barley and flavored with milk thistle and wild hops gathered from the forest edge. Popular with the centaur population and anyone who prefers their drinks with backbone. Served at room temperature in tall clay mugs.

Native Fruits:

• Shimmerberries: Clusters of small, round berries that shift color from deep blue to violet depending on the light. They grow on low bushes along the brook's edge and taste like a cross between a blueberry and a ripe plum, with a faint effervescence on the tongue. Under Elintra's influence, each berry grows to the size of a large grape.
• Giant Greenbrook Apple: A crisp, sweet apple that grows to the size of a cantaloupe. The skin is a streaked red-gold, and the flesh is snow-white with a honey-like sweetness. A single apple can feed three people. They store well and are the village's most profitable export.
• Moonpears: Pale, luminous pears that ripen only during autumn and glow faintly in the dark when fully mature. The flesh is buttery and perfumed, with a flavor that shifts between vanilla and ripe melon. They bruise easily and do not travel well, making them a rare treat outside the village.
• Thornplums: Dark purple stone fruits that grow on thorny bushes at the forest edge. The skin is tart and tannic, but the flesh inside is intensely sweet and jammy. They are traditionally eaten by biting through the sour skin to reach the sweet center, a combination the locals find addictive.
• Sunburst Melon: An enormous melon with a bright orange rind and deep red flesh, growing to the size of a small barrel under Elintra's blessing. The flavor is rich and tropical, somewhere between mango and watermelon, and a single fruit can feed a family for two days. The seeds are roasted and eaten as snacks.
• Mossberries: Tiny, vivid green berries that grow in dense mats on the forest floor, clinging to mossy stones and fallen logs. They taste sharply tart with a bright, almost citrus finish. Used primarily in preserves, desserts, and the village's signature Mossberry Fool.

Native Vegetables:

• Giant Greenbrook Tomato: A beefsteak tomato grown to absurd proportions, often reaching the size of a human head. The flesh is dense, sweet, and low in acid, with a deep red color that bleeds through to the core. A single slice can cover an entire piece of flatbread. The village's most recognizable export after the apples.
• Goldenroot Turnip: A massive root vegetable with amber-colored flesh and a naturally sweet, nutty flavor that intensifies when roasted. Grows to the size of a large pumpkin and keeps through the entire winter without losing texture. The foundation of Greenbrook's cold-weather cooking.
• Starfruit Radish: A crisp, white radish with a cross-section that reveals a natural star pattern in pale pink. Mild and slightly peppery, it is eaten raw in salads, pickled for winter stores, or sliced thin as a garnish. The star pattern makes it a favorite decorative element in Greenbrook cuisine.
• Velvet Squash: A large, teardrop-shaped squash with skin so smooth it feels like suede. The flesh is a deep orange and cooks down into a silky puree with almost no effort. Naturally sweet and rich, it is used in soups, pies, and as a filling for stuffed breads.
• Canopy Mushrooms: Broad, flat-capped mushrooms that grow on the trunks of the oldest oaks in the Canopy Ring. They can reach the diameter of a dinner plate and have a dense, meaty texture with a deep umami flavor. Harvested only with permission from the Root Table, as the trees they grow on are considered sacred.
• Feathered Leek: A tall, slender allium with frond-like leaves that fan out at the top like a fern. Milder than a standard leek with a delicate, almost floral sweetness. Used extensively in broths, stews, and as a bed for roasted fish. Grows year-round thanks to Elintra's influence.

Animals, Creatures and Mounts

Local Mount: Grove Elk: Greenbrook's preferred mount is the grove elk, a large and gentle cervid bred from the wild elk herds that roam the forest south of the village. Standing nearly six feet at the shoulder with wide, branching antlers wrapped in soft velvet, they are strong enough to carry a rider and cargo through dense woodland where horses would balk. Their broad, padded hooves move silently over forest floors, and they navigate root-tangled trails with an almost supernatural sure-footedness. Grove elk bond deeply with their riders and can be trained to respond to whistled commands. To outsiders, they appear as unusually large deer, which draws curiosity but not suspicion.

Dargrave Heron: A tall, slate-blue wading bird found along the brook and the northern shore of the Bay of Dargrave. Standing nearly four feet tall with a wingspan that casts a shadow like a small sail, these herons are patient, silent hunters that spear fish with a beak as long as a forearm. They are not aggressive toward people but will defend their nesting sites with sharp jabs. Villagers consider their presence a sign of clean water and good fortune.

Thornback Boar: A large, aggressive wild boar with a ridge of bony spines running from its skull to its haunches. Thornbacks roam the deeper forest in small family groups and are fiercely territorial. Their tusks can gore through leather armor, and the spines along their backs discourage predators from attacking from above. They are the most common dangerous animal encountered by the centaur patrols and are hunted occasionally for their rich, dark meat.

Lantern Moth: A large, nocturnal moth with wings that emit a soft, warm glow in shades of amber and pale green. They are drawn to the bioluminescent fungi of the Canopy Ring and can be seen drifting through the forest at night like floating candles. Completely harmless, they are beloved by the fairy population, who sometimes ride the largest specimens. Their wing dust is mildly phosphorescent and is collected for use in festival decorations.

Bramble Serpent: A six-foot constrictor snake with bark-textured scales and thorn-like protrusions along its spine. It lives in dense undergrowth and hunts by ambush, dropping from low branches onto rabbits and ground birds. While not venomous, its bite is painful and prone to infection. Bramble serpents are not aggressive toward creatures larger than themselves but will strike if stepped on, making them a hazard for inattentive hikers.

Mist Fox: A small, silver-furred fox that seems to blur at the edges, as though perpetually wreathed in a thin haze. Mist foxes are shy, crepuscular hunters that feed on voles, insects, and fallen fruit. They are nearly impossible to catch or corner, as they can flatten themselves into impossibly narrow gaps and seem to vanish when startled. The brownies have a particular fondness for them and occasionally leave scraps out to attract them closer to the village.

Canopy Strider: A long-legged, predatory bird roughly the size of a large turkey, with powerful talons and a hooked beak designed for tearing. Canopy striders hunt from the mid-level branches of the old-growth forest, dropping onto prey with startling speed. They are aggressive, territorial, and will attack creatures that wander too close to their nests, including people. Their distinctive shrieking call is a warning that experienced foresters take seriously.

Glimmer Toad: A plump, docile amphibian the size of a cat, with skin that shifts through iridescent greens and golds. Glimmer toads live near the brook and in the damp hollows of the Canopy Ring, feeding on insects and slugs. They secrete a mild toxin that tastes terrible but causes no lasting harm, which is enough to deter most predators. Children in Greenbrook keep them as pets, and their cheerful croaking is a constant background sound on warm evenings.

Rootstalker Bear: A massive, dark-furred bear that dens among the root systems of the oldest trees in the deep forest. Rootstalkers are solitary, powerful, and generally avoid the village, but they are fiercely protective of their territory during mating season and when cubs are present. A full-grown rootstalker can stand eight feet tall on its hind legs and has been known to uproot small trees when agitated. The centaur rangers track their movements carefully and redirect patrols to avoid confrontation.

Bellfin Trout: A plump, silver-scaled freshwater fish native to the brook, named for the distinctive chiming sound it makes when it breaks the surface to feed. Bellfin trout are the primary source of fresh fish for the village and are considered excellent eating, with firm, pink flesh and a clean flavor. They are not aggressive but are remarkably clever about avoiding hooks, making fishing in Greenbrook more of a meditative practice than a reliable food source.

Notable Locations

The Roothold

The massive, ancient oak at the center of the Canopy Ring where the Root Table convenes. Its trunk is wide enough that a doorway has been shaped into the living wood, opening into a natural chamber where the exposed root system forms benches and a central table. The tree is believed to be the oldest living thing in the region, and Elintra's bond with it is the anchor for the veil that protects the village. Bioluminescent moss lines the interior walls, providing a soft, steady light.

Archdruid: Elintra, the founding steward of Greenbrook. She appears as a tall, serene woman in her middle years with deep green eyes and bark-brown hair threaded with wildflowers. Those who have been unveiled see her true form: skin like pale birch wood, hair of living vines, and eyes that glow with the soft light of a forest at dawn.

The Sunfield Market

An open-air market held three days per week on the northern edge of the Sunfields, where local growers display their oversized produce on long wooden tables shaded by canvas awnings. Visiting merchants set up alongside villagers, trading manufactured goods and exotic imports for Greenbrook's legendary fruits and vegetables. The market is the primary point of contact between the village and the outside world, and the veil is maintained carefully here.

Market Warden: Branwen Hollowthorn, a sharp-eyed half-elf woman who manages vendor placement, settles pricing disputes, and ensures that no fey resident accidentally drops their glamour in front of an outsider. She carries a carved hawthorn staff and has a reputation for fairness that even the most aggressive Bannon merchants respect.

The Brookstone Bathhouse

A low, stone building straddling the brook where natural hot springs have been channeled into a series of soaking pools. The water is heated by geothermal activity deep beneath the forest and carries trace minerals that leave skin soft and ease aching joints. Separate pools are maintained for different temperatures, and a cold plunge fed directly by the brook is available for the brave. The bathhouse is the social heart of the village, where gossip is exchanged, deals are struck, and friendships are maintained.

Keeper: Fenwick, a brownie who appears as a wiry, cheerful old man with a bristling white mustache. He maintains the pools, manages the firewood, and keeps a supply of herbal soaking salts that he blends himself. His true form is barely two feet tall with pointed ears and fingers that move with preternatural speed.

Thistledown Apothecary

A crooked little shop built into the hollow of a massive fallen log at the edge of the Canopy Ring. The interior is crammed with hanging bundles of dried herbs, shelves of stoppered bottles, and a workbench perpetually dusted with pollen. The apothecary produces healing salves, sleeping draughts, insect repellents, and a popular line of scented oils that sell well to visiting merchants. A small greenhouse attached to the back grows rare medicinal plants year-round.

Apothecary: Liren Amberleaf, a sylvan elf with copper-red hair and an encyclopedic knowledge of herbalism. She speaks softly, moves deliberately, and can identify any plant native to the region by smell alone. She trained under Elintra and is one of the few non-fey residents trusted with the full truth of the village's nature.

The Pipers' Hollow

A natural amphitheater formed by a depression in the forest floor, ringed by mossy boulders and overarching branches. This is where the satyr musicians gather to play, and where the village holds its festivals, storytelling nights, and seasonal celebrations. The acoustics are remarkable, carrying even a whispered song to every seat. During the Rootfast festival, the Hollow is lit by hundreds of fairy lanterns and the music continues until sunrise.

Choirmaster: Pyralis, a satyr piper of considerable talent and larger personality. Under the veil he appears as a stocky, curly-haired man with a perpetual grin and a set of reed pipes always hanging from his belt. His true form reveals cloven hooves, short horns, and fur-covered legs. He organizes every musical event in the village and takes personal offense at off-key singing.

The Warden's Circuit

A network of patrol trails that loop through the forest surrounding Greenbrook, maintained and guarded by the centaur rangers. The trails are invisible to anyone unfamiliar with them, disguised by natural growth and subtle misdirection enchantments. Watchtowers built into the canopy at key intersections provide sightlines to the Bay of Dargrave, the road to Bannon, and the approaches from Hedgewick. The Circuit is Greenbrook's first and only line of defense.

Warden-Captain: Oakheart, a centaur ranger with a dappled grey coat and a longbow carved from a single piece of yew. Under the veil he appears as a tall, broad-shouldered human man with grey-streaked hair and a quiet intensity. He has patrolled the Circuit for over forty years and knows every game trail, hollow, and hiding spot within five miles of the village. He speaks rarely and never wastes words.

The Hearthstone Inn

The only establishment in Greenbrook that caters specifically to outsiders. A two-story stone building with a thatched roof and a wide porch overlooking the brook, the Hearthstone offers clean rooms, hot meals, and a taproom that serves Elderbloom Cider and Thistle Brew. The inn is deliberately ordinary in appearance, designed to give visiting merchants a comfortable stay without exposing them to anything that might raise questions. The food is excellent but carefully curated to feature only items that could plausibly come from a normal village.

Innkeeper: Mara Thornfield, a broad-shouldered human woman with laugh lines, calloused hands, and an easy warmth that puts travelers at ease. She is one of the few fully human residents who knows the complete truth about Greenbrook, and she takes her role as the village's public face seriously. Her cooking is hearty and unpretentious, and her ability to steer curious guests away from sensitive topics is an art form in itself.

The Market

Prepared Dishes

Beverages

Native Fruits

Native Vegetables

Animals